JP2008195484A - Printer device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to suppress the slack of recording paper without directly pressing the roll paper.
A printer apparatus according to the present invention includes a thermal head and a recording paper supply unit that supplies the recording paper to the thermal head. The recording paper supply unit is disposed at an end portion of the roll paper 2 on which the recording paper 1 is wound in a roll shape, and rotates around the flange 11 that rotates integrally with the roll paper 1. A bearing elastic member 12 that supports and displaces up and down according to the weight of the shaft support, and brake members 13 and 14 that apply a braking force according to the amount of displacement of the bearing elastic member 12 to the rotating member 11 are provided.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer apparatus that can output an image by digital signal or analog signal input to a sheet, and more particularly to a printer apparatus that prevents a recording sheet set in a roll shape from loosening.

  A recording paper supply unit provided in a conventional printer device supplies recording paper from a roll paper, in which the recording paper is wound in a roll shape, to a portion where printing is performed, for example, a thermal head. When the diameter of the roll paper increases, the mass of the roll paper increases and the moment of inertia of the roll paper increases.

  When the motor for transporting the recording paper rotates at a high speed while the moment of inertia is large, it becomes impossible to synchronize the transport speed of the recording paper by the motor for transporting the recording paper and the rotational speed of the roll paper. . When the rotation speed of the roll paper cannot follow the conveyance speed of the recording paper conveyance motor, the recording paper is frequently loosened or tensioned.

  When the recording paper is slack or stretched, the tension applied to the recording paper fluctuates extremely, and the speed at which the recording paper is conveyed becomes uneven. When the speed unevenness is transmitted to the thermal head, there is a problem that an optimal image cannot be printed. Further, when the tension applied to the recording paper fluctuates extremely, a large load is transiently applied to the torque of the recording paper transport motor, causing the recording paper transport motor to step out. When the recording paper transport motor steps out, the worst printing is stopped and the recording paper is lost.

  In order to solve such a problem, Patent Document 1 describes a printer device that prevents looseness by applying a pressing member to the roll paper surface. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 describes a printer device that detects the slackness of a recording paper by a sensor or a detection device and controls the conveyance of the recording paper according to the detection to prevent the slackening.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-79503 (page 5, FIG. 1) JP 2003-48646 A (page 5, FIG. 1)

  However, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, since the pressing member presses the roll paper surface, the roll paper is damaged or deformed. Therefore, there is a problem that the print quality is deteriorated and the reliability of the printer is lowered. In addition, the invention described in Patent Document 2 requires accuracy of conveyance control, and is an apparatus having an electric circuit component, a microcomputer, etc., so that the entire configuration is very complicated and the cost is increased. there were. Further, the above invention has a problem that it is not possible to suppress fluctuations in tension.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and it is an object of the present invention to suppress the slack of the recording paper and to suppress the fluctuation of the tension applied to the recording paper without directly pressing the roll paper. And

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer apparatus comprising: a printing unit; and a recording paper supply unit that supplies recording paper to the printing unit. The recording paper supply unit is disposed at an end of the roll paper on which the recording paper is wound in a roll shape, and is a rotating member that rotates integrally with the roll paper, and a rotation of the rotating member A bearing elastic member that pivotally supports a shaft and is displaced up and down according to the weight of the shaft, and a brake member that applies a braking force according to a displacement amount of the bearing elastic member to the rotating member.

  According to the printer device of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the looseness of the recording paper and to suppress the fluctuation of the tension applied to the recording paper without directly pressing the roll paper.

<Embodiment 1>
The printer apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a thermal head that is a printing unit, and a recording paper supply unit that supplies recording paper to the thermal head. The recording paper supply unit includes a rotating member, a bearing elastic member, and a brake member.

  FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a printer apparatus according to this embodiment. The printer device according to the present embodiment includes a recording paper 1, a rubber roller 3, a guide roller 4, a grip roller 5, a pinch roller 6, a platen roller 7, a thermal head 8, an ink ribbon 9, A roll holder 10, a flange 11, a bearing elastic member 12, a pressing member 13, and a brake spring 14 are provided.

  The rubber roller 3 contacts the recording paper 1 with a slight force. The guide roller 4 regulates the position of the recording paper 1 in the width direction. The grip roller 5 is rotated by the torque of the recording paper transport motor. As the grip roller 5 rotates, the recording paper 1 is conveyed to the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. The pinch roller 6 can freely contact and separate from the grip roller 5. The platen roller 7 conveys the recording paper 1. The roll holder 10 holds the bearing elastic member 12 slidably up and down in the groove portion.

  A flange 11 that is a rotating member constituting the recording paper supply unit is disposed at an end of the roll paper 2 on which the recording paper 1 is wound in a roll shape, and rotates integrally with the roll paper 2. As shown in FIG. 2 showing the roll paper 2 and the flange 11, the flange 11 is disposed at the end of the roll paper 2. This end may be one end provided on one side or both ends. In the present embodiment, the following description will be given assuming that one is provided. When the recording paper 1 is conveyed, the roll paper 2 rotates together with the flange 11.

  The bearing elastic member 12 constituting the recording paper supply unit shown in FIG. 1 supports the flange 11 and is displaced up and down in accordance with the support weight of the rotating shaft of the flange 11. The bearing elastic member 12 is displaced downward as the bearing weight increases. In the present embodiment, the bearing elastic member 12 is configured such that the lower part is an elastic body 12a, and the elastic body 12a bends as the shaft support weight increases, thereby being displaced downward.

  The brake member constituting the recording paper supply unit applies a braking force corresponding to the displacement amount of the bearing elastic member 12 to the flange 11. In the present embodiment, the brake member includes a pressing member 13 and a brake spring 14 that is an elastic body.

  The pressing member 13 contacts the flange 11 and generates a braking force by applying a pressing force to the flange 11. The pressing member 13 rotates around a fulcrum 15 in FIG. Note that a portion of the pressing member 13 that contacts the flange 11 is desirably a soft member so as not to damage the surface of the flange 11.

  The brake spring 14 biases the pressing member 13 in a direction in which the pressing member 13 contacts the flange 11. The brake spring 14 may be a tension spring, a compression spring, or a torsion spring. In the present embodiment, the brake spring 14 will be described as a tension spring.

  When the brake member is configured in this manner, the pressing member 13 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 1 as the bearing elastic member 12 is displaced downward, and the brake spring 14 is pulled. Then, the brake spring 14 urges the pressing member 13 according to the extended length by the elastic force to return to the original state. Thus, the brake member increases the brake force applied to the flange 11 as the downward displacement of the bearing elastic member 12 increases.

  The operation of the recording paper supply unit of the printer apparatus configured as described above will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state of the recording paper supply unit when the roll paper 2 has a large winding diameter and a large weight of the roll paper 2. In this case, since the shaft support weight is large, the bearing elastic member 12 is displaced downward. As described above, as the downward displacement of the bearing elastic member 12 increases, the braking force applied to the flange 11 by the brake member increases. Thus, when the roll paper 2 has a large diameter and a large weight, a large braking force is applied to the flange 11.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state of the recording paper supply unit when the roll paper 2 has a small winding diameter and the roll paper 2 has a small weight. Compared to the state of FIG. 3, the bearing weight is smaller, so the displacement of the bearing elastic member 12 is located above the state of FIG. If it does so, the brake force which a brake member gives to the flange 11 will become small compared with FIG. Thus, when the roll paper 2 has a small diameter and a small weight, the braking force applied to the flange 11 is smaller than that shown in FIG.

  In general, when the roll diameter of the roll paper 2 is large and the weight of the roll paper 2 is large, the moment of inertia that tends to continue the rotation of the roll paper 2 and the flange 11 increases. On the other hand, when the roll paper 2 is heavy, the recording paper supply unit of the printer apparatus according to the present embodiment applies a large braking force to the flange 11 to stop the rotation. Therefore, the recording paper supply unit of the printer apparatus according to the present embodiment can cancel the large moment of inertia by the braking force that increases in accordance with the moment of inertia.

  The operation of the recording paper supply unit of the printer apparatus according to the present embodiment has been described above when the weight of the roll paper 2 is large and small. Next, assuming that the weight of the recording paper 1 wound around the flange 11 is constant, the recording paper 1 is suddenly started to be transported in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. The operation in the case of having been performed will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the displacement of the bearing elastic member 12 when the recording paper 1 is transported or stopped.

  Assume that the state of the bearing elastic member 12 when the recording paper 1 is continuously conveyed is the state shown in FIG. In this case, if the conveyance of the recording paper 1 is suddenly stopped, due to the influence of the moment of inertia which tries to continue the rotation of the roll paper 2, the moment of inertia is applied to the axial support of the flange 11 due to the downward force due to weight. The downward force due to will be further applied. As a result, the shaft support weight is temporarily increased, and the bearing elastic member 12 is temporarily displaced downward as shown in FIG. 5B, and then returns to the state shown in FIG. 5A again. As a result, the braking force applied to the flange 11 is temporarily increased, so that the moment of inertia for continuing the rotation is suppressed by the temporarily increasing braking force.

  On the other hand, it is assumed that the state of the bearing elastic member 12 when the conveyance of the recording paper 1 is stopped is a state shown in FIG. In this case, if the conveyance of the recording paper 1 is suddenly started, due to the influence of the moment of inertia which tries to stop the rotation of the roll paper 2, the moment of inertia is applied to the axial support of the flange 11 due to the downward force due to the weight. The upward force due to will be added. As a result, the weight of the shaft is temporarily reduced, and the bearing elastic member 12 is temporarily displaced upward as shown in FIG. 5C, and then returns to the state shown in FIG. 5A again. As a result, the braking force applied to the flange 11 is temporarily reduced.

  In the printer apparatus according to the present embodiment as described above, when the moment of inertia due to the roll paper 2 is large, the moment of inertia is canceled by the braking force that increases in accordance with the moment of inertia. Therefore, the occurrence of slack in the recording paper 1 can be drastically reduced. Even when the recording paper 1 is suddenly stopped, the moment of inertia can be offset by the braking force that temporarily increases. Further, when the recording paper 1 is suddenly started to be conveyed, the braking force is temporarily reduced, so that it is possible to prevent the recording paper 1 from being suddenly applied with a large tension. Further, unlike the conventional printer apparatus, the roll paper 2 is not directly pressed, and thus the above-described effects can be obtained without scratching or deforming the roll paper 2.

  In the present embodiment, only the case where the pressing member 13 is always in contact with the flange 11 has been described. However, if necessary, the pressing member 13 is separated from the flange 11 when, for example, a braking force is unnecessary. May be.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a recording paper supply unit of the printer device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a recording paper supply unit of the printer device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a recording paper supply unit of the printer device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a recording paper supply unit of the printer device according to the first embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  1 recording paper, 2 roll paper, 3 rubber roller, 4 guide roller, 5 grip roller, 6 pinch roller, 7 platen roller, 8 thermal head, 9 ink ribbon, 10 roll holder, 11 flange, 12 bearing elastic member, 13 press Member, 14 brake spring, 15 fulcrum.

Claims (3)

The print department,
A recording paper supply unit for supplying recording paper to the printing unit;
The recording paper supply unit
A rotating member disposed at an end portion of the roll paper wound in a roll shape and rotated integrally with the roll paper;
A bearing elastic member that pivots on the pivot shaft of the pivot member and is displaced up and down according to the pivot weight;
A brake member that applies a braking force according to the amount of displacement of the bearing elastic member to the rotating member;
Printer device. The bearing elastic member is displaced downward as the bearing weight increases,
The brake member increases the braking force to the rotating member as the downward displacement increases.
The printer apparatus according to claim 1. The brake member is
A pressing member that contacts the rotating member and generates the braking force by applying a pressing force to the rotating member;
An elastic body that urges the pressing member in a direction in which the pressing member contacts the rotating member,
The printer device according to claim 1 or 2.

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